By now, it's common knowledge that Apple pulled NetShare, an iPhone tethering application, from the AppStore because AT&T's terms of service forbid the handset's use as a bad-ass mobile modem.

Happily, that's not the end of the story or least it won't be if a certain Mssr Jobs has anything to do with it.

Gizmodo has published a reader's letter to Steve Jobs berating the 3G iPhone tethering ban:

AT&T offers data plans for BlackBerry that include tethering for an additional $30 per month (a total of $60 per month for the BlackBerry+tethering plan) ... It seems ludicrous that the same thing is not offered with the iPhone. I understand the desire to prevent tethering with the current data plan, but I am willing to pay more money to allow tethering! With such an advanced device, why can I not do so?

Jobs took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to reply:

We agree, and are discussing it with ATT.

Steve

Sent from my iPhone

iPhone tethering may still come to naught, but the gauntlet has been laid down...